Porter County, Indiana

CHARLES RANSOM TALCOTT, since 1886 connected in an official capacity with the Western Publishing House of Chicago, is a native son of Porter county, Indiana, and though his residence is no longer maintained in these parts, he was for many years closely identified with the business interests of Valparaiso and Porter county, -- a fact which thoroughly justifies and almost demands some mention of his life and work in this historical and biographical work.

Mr. Talcott was born on April 1, 1852, in Valparaiso, Porter county, Indiana, and is the son of Judge William Cole and Maria (Luther) Talcott. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, later spending one year in study in the Valparaiso Male and Female College. His first independent work was that of a school teacher, and the winter of 1868-9 was spent in teaching at Cook's Corners, near Flint Lake. In October, 1869, he went to lola, Kansas, where he made his home with his brother Henry, and there he learned the printing and publishing business. Later he returned to Valparaiso on a visit, and while there accepted a clerkship with Erasmus Ball, freight and ticket agent for the Pennsylvania lines, a position which he held for four years. In December, 1874, Mr. Talcott formed a partnership with his father in the publication of the Vidette, in which he was an interested party for twelve years. It was in August, 1886, that Mr. Talcott severed his connection with the Vidette and accepted a position with the Western Publishing House of Chicago, Illinois, under Professor C. W. Boucher, formerly of Valparaiso, and he is still connected with that company.

Although raised in a Republican home and educated in the knowledge of the principles of that party, Mr. Talcott was never extremely partisan in his sympathies, but often voted for good men on other party tickets. He was long a member of the Porter county Republican central committee, serving several times as secretary and once as chairman, and for a time was a member of the Valparaiso city council and later a member of the city school board.

Mr. Talcott is a member of the People's Liberal Church of Englewood, his choice resting upon the fact that this church holds conduct, rather that belief, to be the essence of religion.

On October 8, 1873, Mr. Talcott was married to Miss Harriet E. Malone, the youngest child of Wilson Malone. The children of their union number five, all happily married, and named as follows: Sadie, the wife of Ray E. Sinclair of Chicago; William Wilson Talcott, also of Chicago; Elma, the wife of William S. Kline, of Chicago; James Richard Talcott, of Kansas City, Missouri; and Dorothy June, the wife of George W. Repp, of Chicago.

Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.Page(s) in Source: 862-863

This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook